System Ooooverload
by DarthMomo
Summary: Chell and Wheatley have recently retrieved the single portal gun and on there merry way... Except Wheatley has seemed to have lost his new friend. He finds her and they're back on their merr- So maybe they AREN'T on their way just quite yet...


**This is an RP that Suki and Momo collaborated together to make. There may a few tiny inconsistencies, but I think we managed to weed them out. To set up the scene, they very recently found the single portal gun and are roaming the catwalks and other various places, slowly but surely making their way somewhere. Not at a very alarming speed unfortunately...**

**We mostly wrote every other paragraph, though every once in a while one person wrote two, or three, once I'm pretty sure four. *Shrug* Same difference right? Suki rp'd as Chell, and Momo rp'd as Wheatley. Well, that's all then, have fun reading (hopefully)!  
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><p>"...So you see, It's great big mystery- Umm... luv...? Uh, Where did you go?" Wheatley turned around on his management rail looking for the woman he had saved. Where could she have gone? It wasn't like they were walking in a great big field. Tight rails that led a very narrow path with who knew <em>how<em> many feet below them, it was a total abyss. "Okay, not a total abyss, I 'spose," He commented to himself, " It _does_ end at some point. It _has_ to really. Aperture Science doesn't reach the core. Then again, with all their portal tech who knows..." He tilted upwards to view the ceiling, (if he could, it was so dark in these back rooms, sometimes he wished he could use his flashlight...) scrutinizing it for any portals. "Oh, yes the pressing question. Um, lady, miss, whatever your name is... Where are you? My little plan doesn't really work if we don't go together... Did you stop for more potatoes? If so, I know a great spot that you would love to eat from. It happens to grow right across one of my rails, it's pretty bothersome really, and I'm sure they taste exquisite. Lady?" He rolled back towards where they, well apparently only he, had come from looking around for the test subject he had awoken from cryostasis.

Chell poked her head left and right past the corner, her blue eyes sifting through the bulk and mass of old rusting metal, cracked and falling apart. She sighed and took a step out into the hallway, keeping her pace slow and leisurely, allowing the scene much time to be fully merged in her brain. So long. She blinked and looked down to the ground. The white tiling had long since lost it's luster and clean appearance, it now a mottled green and grey, with small sprouts of potato plant pushing and cracking through it's surface. So very long. The woman continued to walk silently until she came to the source of what she had been looking for. A small light, dim and barely flickering, echoed across the surface of the walls in front of her, telling and whispering to the former test subject that she was getting close. She knew that Wheatley knew the complex well enough, he'd find her again if he really wanted to. Chell just had to check something, or the sake of her own sanity, she just HAD to know.

So she hadn't even followed him into the rails area... He had been talking to him self that _entire time_? That must have been at least 15 minutes! "Well there's no time to worry about that now... Just gotta' find her. Somehow. I know! I bet she really_ is_ scavenging for food, and is back by that ginormous plant I saw awhile back. Maybe _we_ saw it, assuming that she was still behind me at the time... How didn't I notice her absence? I mean the loudest she gets is jumping, but still! One would think that I would have would have been aware," he spouted, cruising down his rail a lot less leisurely than just minutes ago and trying to spot bright orange pants or her dark hair. "Aw, bloody hell, I'm _still_ talking to myself. Not staggering or breathtaking news, but it sure is annoying considering I was talking to a human just a sec- few minutes ago..."

Chell smiled as she got closer to the room in question, forgetting for the second that there was a near frantic AI searching for her already. She took a few more steps towards the broken open doorway, long since lost it's door to something a time ago. With a hesitant hand she held onto the cool metal door frame and took a large step over a pile of broken debris that had stood in her way to getting into that apparently interesting room. Whatever lay inside, Chell was keenly intent on figuring out. Then again she knew, there could be nothing at all, and her entire excursion away from Wheatley could be a huge waste of her time, considering how long she figured that she had to be asleep for. There was no way that it could still be there anyways. But the numbers next to the door frame had been correct, and something inside the woman continued her onwards, almost forcing her body to continue into the suddenly dark room. The woman mentally cursed to herself after the light went out, she already searching the portal gun for some sort of light source on it, however dim. After a soft hiss and click, the gentle blue of the first trigger portal lightly glowed in the center of the weapon, offering minute, but some light. The woman wasted no time to start exploring.

Worry was now officially setting in. "Where in this blasted complex could she be? It's not like there are any particularly great places to hangout." Wheatley looked here and there, trying to spot her then halted his quick pace, slowing to barely one mile per hour. He saw a form slip into a room, surely that had to be her. "Hey, you! I've been trying to find you! What are you doin- Oh, uh, sorry didn't mean to frighten you. Just my omniscient presence," He called out rounding the corner so he was almost in the door. In all honesty, she didn't seem all that frightened, just surprised. Maybe even slightly secretive like he was invading on something private. "Uh, sorry. Once again. Hope I'm not interrupting... whatever it is you're doing, but we do kinda need to hurry. I mean, sorta. I guess. We aren't in that much of a rush I suppose, so just continue on... whatevering at your own pace, hurriedly though preferably."

Chell turned around in a slight shock, her eyes widening when her body whipped around and came face to optic with his form. "!" She let out a tiny airy gasp and jumped back, only slightly, but just enough for her to hit the back wall of the room she had been exploring, the cold yet rusting metal a bit rough on her tan skin, though the tank did offer a sligh bit of protection. After the initial shock, Chell quickly realized there was no danger, her mind swiftly charging down from it's 'fight or flight' response.

Chell gave the AI a small smile and nod after hearing his sublte but gentle urging; it wouldn't take very long to figure out and find what she was looking for anyways. Slowly she turned her head back to the grandness of the room, it's vast space simply swallowed up by darkness; the light from the portal gun only did so much after all.

"So what are you looking for in here? You know what, you don't have to tell me. I'll just wait here. Patiently while you go about your business. Doing whatever you're doing. Um, how long will this take? Oh well, I'm sure you wont drag your feet," Wheatley conversed, though he still felt like he was talking to himself. Besides the split second panic and the gentle nod, the woman seemed just fine to ignore his presence with little regard. "Hey, luv, would you like the lights on? I know the bloody nanobots that maintain this room. I could send 'em a wire, would be no problem. Just need a little acknowledgement from you to get it going. Not much, just a lil' wave or something, maybe spoken if you don't feel like turning around from the interesting stuff you're looking at. You know, pretty informal, nothing fancy."

Chell smiled again, lightly, her head slowly turning around to gaze at the small AI. After taking a small breath, she nodded her head slightly, she wondering if Wheatley could even pick up such a small gesture. She didn't speak a word, as much as he would have wanted her to; it was far easier simply to nod, keeping in mind she wanted to keep a firm grip on the portal gun, that thing was her lively hood in that hell hole, the only way to get out if she ever got the chance.

After nodding towards Wheatley, the girl started moving forwards in the large room, not bothering to wait if he was going to turn the lights on or not. It didn't matter a whole lot, as she had worked in lower light environments before.

Well, at least he got acknowledged, that meant he wasn't talking to himself. "Okay, lights on in... a bit. Yeah, Jer? Could you maybe work on this room before you get to your next sector? ... Well, the lights are off and its hard to see ... Yes, I would like the lights to work ... What do you think...? ... Fine! I'll deal with you later, Jerry!" What an annoying nanobot! "What a jerk. He decided not to help us. Well, me. Maybe I should have mentioned you, he might be willing to help a girl... Well you're human so probably not. N-not that being human is a bad thing. Just a lot shorter life- I mean just a different life style. Y'know... I'm all for helping humans. I love 'em! a-and..." He trailed off awkwardly. "Um, would like help finding the... your... the thing you're looking for?"

Chell didn't seem to pay much attention to Wheatley's rambling much at first, her eyes roaming across the floors and walls in her small effort to find what she was searching tirelessly for, which at that time, she wasn't absolutely sure herself. After a few seconds, the woman turned around again to face the AI, and gave a small shrug. Sure, she'd be happy if he could help, but the only problem was she even wasn't sure what she was looking for in the first place. It was just a hunch, a small thought that continued to nag on her mind since the moment the small bot had awakened her from her cryo-sleep prison. She sighed and looked back around yet again to gaze at the room, her blue orbs filled with a sort of confusion, but determination.

"Okay, I will help you to find it. I don't have a clue what it is, but I'm sure once I find it I will know what it is, and be able to bring your attention to it, and um, have you confirm that it is what you are looking for. Uh... I'll just start in the middle of the room and work my way out from there, alright luv? Don't worry, we'll find it, whatever it is, in no time. Well it will take us time, but it will be very short. Don't get that it confused with the it that I have been using for... it. Y' know, I'm sure you understand just fine. I'll just go and look then..." He trailed off and took his rail to the middle of the room. That happened to be all the further he could go since his rail stopped at the controls for the room. He surveyed the room, but couldn't really make out anything that particualarly stood out from the master computer related to test subjects. It was pretty much the only thing important about this room, though it did look rather dull when tipped on its side and missing some keys, and having a cracked screen, and when blending in with its surroundings with all the dust collected on it.

A few minutes of absolute silence ensued, Chell on her knees to brush away the collected dirt, leaves and dust left onto the many machines in the room. She went from computer to computer, reading what would or wouldn't pop on their cracked screens, and with a sad sigh, she'd move on. Soon however, it seemed she had came upon what she had been looking for. Her mouth pulled into a large smile as she knelt down, easily recognizing the computer that had logs of all the test subjects that had been in Aperture Sciences, or in this wing at least. With a quiet huff, the woman pulled on the machine, hoping to right it up from it's previous position on it's side. It took her a few pulls, fueled by her will alone, and she finally got it back up. With a rare but happy smile, the woman turned to look at Wheatley, then gesture towards the old computer, her hand pointing quickly at the screen. The said computer slowly hummed on when she hit it's power button, the screen flickering in dim greens and blues before it had enough power to go to it's loggon screen.

"Oh, so that was what you were looking for. You could have just asked. Well, you probably can. I don't really kno- Hey you can at least type. So you aren't fully doomed to silence. Well, silence yes, but not anticommunicationism. DRATTMAN, huh? Did you know him? From what I heard, he was rather odd. Brilliant, but a little out there. Never really got to meet him, but some of his colleagues worked with me." Wheatley watched curiously as the woman navigated the computer, seeming to know exactly what she was after. He stretched is rail arm so that he was closer, about two feet right of her and waited while she looked up whatever she was looking up, wondering what she planned on finding out.

Chell let her fingers lay idle on the keyboard, her eyes half lidded in a silent realization. On the screen, after sifting through hoards upon hoards of information, she had at least found out what she was looking for. On the screen was a name, two names in fact, and underneath were a pair of pictures. There was one man, his features striking and sharp, with his eyes half covered by a thick pair of glasses. He was very handsome, his skin a tanned peach, blue eyes full of what one could only say would be determination and prowess. In the other picture was a woman, sleek and soft, her lips pulled into the slightest of smiles, her eyes half closed in an almost seductive, playful way. In both pictures, underneath their faces, they were holding boards of some sort, with long numbers written underneath. Chell was almost overjoyed when she saw both their faces, until she looked underneath each one.

"Oh dear, those people probably meant a lot to, didn't they? Well um, there are many philosophies that you can subscribe to were they in a good place now. Uh, I'm sure they are- I'm not very good at this whole consoling thing, you can probably tell... Well, uh now they wont suffer any trace amounts of brain damage- not saying that it's bad to have brain damage- and um, yeah..." He truly wanted to cheer up the woman beside him, but he honestly had no clue _how_. He had gave it a good shot though, or at least he hoped so. "Do you, uh, want to talk about your feelings? No, I suppose not... um, how about some other therapeutic method that I could help with so you feel better? Like how about... hmm... I don't really know of many..."

Chell didn't hear the AI, her eyes far too entranced with the photo's to allow any other sight in, her heart pounding too loudly to respond to his ramblings. Tears started to fill behind her lids, she raising one hand to silently touch the screen where the woman's face was, the tips just barely grazing where her cheek was on the glass.

"..." Though Chell was always silent, this silence was different, more depressed and miserable. The air around the woman was thick in a pessimistic haze. Slowly, she retracted back her hand, never looking away from the screen until she abruptly sat down on the hard, rusted, cracked ground, her eyes staring down blankly on the floor. She should have known or guessed that would be true, as it wasn't going to be any different simply because of the connection she had to them; they died along with the others, leaving Chell and her once hopes in utter shambles.

"Dammit, it's getting worse," Wheatley commented to himself, as she sat down with glistening eyes. "Um, could you at least type what I should do? I'm feeling pretty callous, trying to be all-" He cut off at looking over her again. She was obviously _very_ depressed about the loss of the two people on the screen. What should he say? The AI tried to come up something, but he was out of ideas. It just hurt to see the woman who had been so strong moments ago reduced to tears and disconsolate.

Chell didn't sob, nor did she even sniffle. She simply sat on the ground, her legs splayed out on either side of her body as it crumpled down on itself when she felt her strength leave her. They're dead. Gone. She slowly started to stand up again, pulling up her body with a silent but still saddened strength. "..." With one small glance at Wheatley, the woman pushed away all other windows on the screen, to bring up a simple write-in text document. In one quick hand stroke, she typed the simple one word phrase that she hoped would provide the AI with just a little more understanding.

"_parents_"

"My God, you type! Well, I knew that sorta before, um, back to readin- OH... I'm um, so sorry. Familial ties, broken, that really, really sucks. Er, I'm sure your mother and father would be very proud of what you're accomplishing, escaping Aperture before it, y' know, blows up to smithereens." That sounded really good right? Consoling? They would be proud of her, and he had mentioned earlier about them being in a good place now. For not having parents of his own that was pretty good, huh?

Curiosity got the better of him though, if she could type she could talk while keeping her whole silent gig going, what were they like? More so, what was having- well used to... same idea- parents like? "So um your parents... What were they like? Not trying to pry or be insensitive, though now that I think about what I asked... Wow, sorry, didn't to just BLAM mention them. Oh, I just did it again. Sorry, uh I think I should stop talking so I don't mention- I'll just quit talking, let you grieve, and we can somehow get out of here yet. Which I have yet to figure out how... and I'm still talking... hmm..."

Chell sighed, raising her arm to wipe away the small growing wetness in her eyes with the inside of her wrist. Well, he was at least trying; that was far more than the woman could say for anyone or anything else. She really couldn't blame the little AI either, he never had parents, never had many ties that she had taken for granted; he was only curious. After taking a deep breath, Chell allowed a bitter, small smile to pull on her lips. She turned her head around to look at Wheatley, and beckoned with one slightly limp hand for him to come closer, but upon realizing that he was on the edge of his management rail, stopped the motion, and stood up. With a gentle pulling as she held onto his lower handle, the woman silently asked for him to disengage from his rail. For the oddest reason, Chell felt like she needed someone, anyone, to keep herself in awarence that she wasn't alone, deep in isolation. Before, she could at least have the fantasy that one day her parents would come and save her, break her out of her nightmarish hell and bring her home, or whatever they used to tell her young self what a real home was. Chell wanted contact, physical contact of any sort, to keep her mind knowing that the devistating odds weren't going to crush her sanity into the dust.

"I can't disengage. That's what you want right? I would, but if I do, _I'll die_!" He lowered the full three inches of reach he had left, hoping it would help. "I really do empathize, I wish I could express it better, but can't. Uh, I would try more, but I'm pretty sure I excel at making things worse. Or at least that's what one of Aperture's workers told me when I attempted to console her after she broke up. How was I to know that she still liked the guy? I only called him a bastard once... Okay, I also called him a bleeder, blighter, sod, jerk -can't forget jerkass- and oh I'm getting side tracked. Er, sorry. Sorry for your loss."

Chell didn't seem at all perturbed by his rejection, and only gestured further (Stubborooon~). She frowned lightly, and held out her arms in such a way that she'd catch him should he fall at all, that is, if he'd ever come down from there. The woman didn't move her limbs, her tenacity almost forcing her to keep to it; besides, she didn't believe much of what the little bot was saying anyways; she'd seen plenty of cores off their rails before the scientists-...Chell didn't finish the thought, grim as it was, and only stared determinately at Wheatley, her head tilted slightly as she listened to him ramble.

"They told me that if I _ever_ disengaged I would _die_! Not only that, but by me dying, consequently you would would end up bad for both of us, which I don't want, because while I haven't known you very long, and I don't even know your name, I really like you. Most definitely don't want you to die, which by extension means I can't let me die, which means I can't disengage, turn on my flashlight, get submerged in water, or any of those dangerous things. At all. Because they will cause eminent death unto me, and therefore you. Which would be rather unfortunate." He looked down at her, pleading and gesturing to catch him, and averted his eyes. Evidently she wouldn't give up on _anything_ and just looked so sad... and... "Look, I can't, luv. They told me I'd die."

Chell held her arms out for only a few seconds more before she allowed the message from the AI to sink in. Fine. Whatever. The woman sighed and let the limbs fall limp at her side again, and with half lidded eyes, she slumped again to the floor. She brought a single cut up, bruised, and bloodied hand to her forehead, rubbing her thumb at her temple to keep a pounding headache from coming on. It was as if the shadows had waited for that very moment to jump upon her and eat her up, everything simply crashing upon her mind. Her parents? Dead. Friends? Never had any. Warmth? None. Chell felt colder than she ever thought was possible, as if the entire world had frozen all within the last few minutes. She could've almost started crying again, but she didn't see the need or have the energy to bother. It didn't matter; she was the only one alive in that hellhole after all. The only one. One. Just her. Only her.

With her other just as beat up hand, the woman reached for the computer, typing slowly onto the open screen:

"_tired._we stop for now?_"

"Oh, sure. I suppose we _have_ been going for a little over 39 hours... Running ragged probably. Can't blame ya' for that," He acknowledged. Flexing the management rail arm into its more natural position, he robtically sighed. "There is just one thing though, before you sleep. I've known you for a few days, but I don't have a name to go with your face... Just a little thing... Don't have to answer of course, should you not want to. Which would be understandable since you don't really appear to like to speak... I would just like to know the name of my friend. Pretty much my only friend, really..." His eye rotated around, showing him slightly embarrassed about just rattling on about her name.

Chell looked up at the bot, staring her aqua orbs into his own bright blue one. Friend. He actually considered her as a friend? Chell, to be honest, was touched by his words, his overall sense of nervousness basing around them. A friend. Maybe she did have a friend. Chell smiled lightly, barely moving her lips with her new thoughts. Friend. She liked that.

With tired but nimble fingers, she typed:

"_chell. name is chell_" she smiled and looked back to the little robot that hung from his management rail, watching for his reaction to knowing her name, it only then dawning on her just how little he actually knew about her, yet he was putting forth so much himself to make her free again. Well, since he said they were friends, and they had some time to relax (regardless of the constant lighting, the woman's brain was convinced it was nighttime), so maybe she could tell him a little bit more.

"_your name?_" she wondered typingly, tilting her tired head.

He read the small words, fading in and out on the damaged screen. The AI nodded, his version of a smile, and said," Chell, that's a pretty name. Chell, Chell, that is truly a very nice name. Chell... Oh, my name? I'm Wheatley, a rather dashing name in my opinion, definitely shouts 'genius', wouldn't you agree?" He proudly spun and continued talking," Much shorter than my technical name, which you don't want to hear. Would bore you to sleep, very long name. Complicated, not interesting in the slightest. Tediously long and filled with technical jargon." After mentioning his technical name, he began some pretty suspicious specific denial, but as far as he was concerned he was pretty smooth about it.

Chell looked up at him with a confused, yet curious look, one dark eyebrow raised in question. Eh. She quickly sighed and put the hand back to her temple, not even having the energy to question on his suspicious denial of his full name. Ugh. The oncoming of a headache was apparent, the woman rubbing her temples harshly with her thumbs, trying to will it away. After a few seconds, it seemed to die down again, the pain reaching a low point.

After letting out a loose stream of air, half between a light hiss and a sigh, the young woman tiredly looked at Wheatley.

"_i like name. wheatley. thank you for helping me._" though her grammar was broken and her spelling edging on being atrocious, Chell honestly didn't care. It was communication, and that's all she really cared and wanted for.

Relieved she didn't mention his full name, Wheatley gladly responded," It's no problem, Chell. It's a catchy name... Chell... You look very tired, you should probably get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us. Running, using a portal gun, jumping -you like that, so be excited- and searching for a way out of here. Not way as in where to go, more way as in how not to die... Oh, right, sleep. You likely need quiet for that, don't you? Alright, Good night, well actually Good Afternoon, its currently 2:41, but that's alright, who needs keeping track of time anyways? Oh, quiet, yes not talking now, letting you get sleep. Domir. Soñar. Hey I think I finally got it! And they said I couldn't learn simple Spanish verb- Gah, being quiet now."

Chell listened to his rambling, a smile growing on her face from the cut and change from dealing with utter silence before. That was the one thing about the AI that the woman really liked; he could just KEEP ON TALKING and never stop. It was a cure of some sorts, a very nice and wanted change to the deafening silence that flooded through the facility elsewhere. With one loud huff, she quickly stood back up, again facing the bot, a little closer this time, however. With all the little strength she had left, Chell wrapped her arms lightly around Wheatley's round form, holding him closely to her in the most awkward, but yet, the most warming hug that she could ever remember having. "Th...Th..." she started, using air in her mouth to try and facilitate some vocalization. "Th...th..." it was hard, but she kept trying. "Th...ank...y...oo..." she could only do a single syllable at a time with each 'huff' of air out of her mouth, so she hoped that the little bot would be able to piece it all together correctly.

Wheatley blinked in surprise, and leaned into the hug. "You're very welcome," He said, bewilderment clearly in his voice. The hug... he liked it, it was comforting, soothing, after so many years of having no one around who bothered to talk to him even. This woman, Chell, had thanked him, with her voice, which seemed difficult for her. Even if she had a little serious brain damage, she was the best friend he had ever had. "I'm really glad that we're working together. You're... Can't really even explain it, luv, you're just great to be around."

Chell nodded her head, the movement almost mirroring what could be said as a soft nuzzle against his outter casing, eyes closed softly as she simply tried to savor the moment of contact, actually feeling for once the physical sensation of another person, another sentient being next to her, close to her. It was as if the simple touch brought her back to when she was but a wee little girl, where her parents tried to sugercoat everything. 'No honey, you go play in day care, daddy has to go to work for all the nice scientists.' then would soon end up with her father coming home beaten and broken in so many ways. Broken ribs, several tumors, and not to mention how many time's he was nearly killed. And her mother was never any better, though at least she gained more superficial wounds than anything else.

Being so close to the bot reminded her that she wasn't so alone, she still had somebody whom she could count on, hold, and keep close. Maybe it was childish and crazy, but Chell felt that holding onto Wheatley, hearing his soft soothing voice in her ear, almost substituted her parents, how her mother always held her at night, telling her amazing stories about how the outside world once looked, how children got to go to school with big wide playgrounds, how the sky always shone with little candles so high, nobody could ever reach them, and other illustrious things that sent her young mind ablaze.

"yoo...t...too..." she softly huffed, hoping that the hug wasn't becoming overly long and awkward for him, as much as she wanted to make it last forever.

"Could you hold on forever...? No, I imagine not, probably hard to sleep standing up... and-" Wheatley realized he said that out loud and quickly started a new train of thought- well speech- "Tomorrow will be particularly dangerous, we should rest up. Well you rest, Me sit here and think- I'm quite good at that- trying to create perfect plans." Man, he couldn't believe he let the former question slip, well he _could_, but just because he was thinking it, didn't mean he had to voice it. Uggh, now she was going to wonder what was wrong with him, of worse off think he was a creep or- maybe she'd think it was cute, yeah, cute. That would be good. Though just in case, he covered it up pretty well... right? All he could do was hope. Or run away. He was going to stick with hope though. He was pretty sure.

Chell listened to the AI ramble, feeling more and more soothed as his voice rose and dropped, his emotions so easily readable in his phrases and words. In all honesty, Chell really wished she could just hold on forever, but soon her arms nearly grew numb, she having to lighten her grip on the small sphere after a few more minutes. After allowing her arms to unencircle themselves around him, the woman tilted her head and smiled, then with a quick smile, she stepped away. With outstretched arms, she gestured again, asking silently for him to come down. She knew whatever rubbish he was going to speak about him dying after disengaging himself from the rail was completely false. In all her life, from being a young child to then, Chell had never seen such a think happen; she had plenty of memories of other AI's to back up her revelation as well, and simply hoped that Wheatley would trust her enough to comply. Before he had a chance to respond to her gesture, she quickly turned an arm around to type sloppily onto the screen, then returning to her former pose with a cute, smiling, almost pleading look on her face:

"_promise you wont die. ive seen other ai off rails before when i was little._"

Wheatley shook a little. He was seriously thinking about disengaging. What if they were right? He would be dead, and unable to help her, but if she was right? Then he could be held in her arms the whole night- well day, but night for her- and... that was really appealing. "You promise...? You're absolutely sure?" He tried to mask the fear in his voice but to little avail. Receiving a nod, he shut his eye tight and nodded as well, trying to convince himself it would be alright. "Okay, okay, alright, I got this... I'm ready... and okay, false alarm, not ready, but really close... and you're sure you'll catch me?" His eye was still closed so he couldn't see her response, but had faith that it was positive.

"D-disengaging... in th-three, two, o-one" He screamed as he felt the sudden grip of gravity claw at him. Feeling a strong grip surround him and keep him steady, he still trembled. "Th-that was bloody terrifying..." He couldn't bring himself to open his eye, dread and alarm still seizing him.

Chell's smile got wider when she heard him agree with her, closing her orbs in a glad and joyous expression. When he finally did disengage, she quickly caught him, and yes, she would admit that he was a little heavy, but nothing more than what she had already dealt with before. After allowing the little bot a few seconds to become used to not being connected to the rail, Chell adjusted him in her arms, moving him slightly so the outer parts of his casing wouldn't scratch up her already nicked arms.

"sss...ssseh?" She huffed out of her lips, trying to make the sounds as loud as she could so he'd hear her. Without waiting for much of a response, She slowly lowered herself to sit on the floor, holding Wheatley close to her as she sat him in her lap, turning his body around so she could look directly into that wondrous blue orb, the smile only growing wider on her face. She leaned her face down in a brief but sentimental nuzzle against him, feeling the warmth from his optic seep into her skin as she slowly pulled away. In some ways, Wheatley helped her feel more numb to the world, in a way that was in all actuality, a very nice thing. She didn't feel her pounding headache, or the bruises that dappled her arms and legs, or the few possible sliver-fractured bones, partially healed in her time in containment. She actually felt, for once, simply at peace, and very content.

"I'm... I'm alive, this is great! Tremendous work catching me, just have to give credit where it's due and say, wow, great job catching me," He nervously chattered, trying to rid himself of the fear that still clung to him. He grew quite as she sat down and cuddled with him. A shy, bashful feeling arose in his processor, but he tried to pretend like nothing was amiss. Of course the quiet didn't last long as he said," Yes, I'm happy to be alive too. Have I mentioned marvelous you are? ThatKindaCameOutOfNoWhere... Oh, right we're still trying to get to sleep. I forget that really easily... Okay, quieting down and letting you sleep. So that we're both fully charged. For tomorrow. I'll belt up now... For real this time."

Chell smiled softly under her tired, half-lidded eyes. She started to yawn, allowing her shoulders to roll slightly into a far more comfy position. She then set Wheatley on the ground next to her, and slowly let her body lay on it's side, deciding that surprisingly, the floor was a bit more acceptable in comfort than the wall was. She continued to listen to his ongoing rambling, finding that she really liked the sound of his voice more and more, how his accent gracefully accentuated every vowel, how his tone rose and fell with each word. In some senses, she could almost compare it to a spoken lullaby, or, her version of it. After he finished his last few words, she watching as he was silent, for once, Chell curled one of her tired arms around the small bot, bringing him closer to her like a child would a doll or teddy, hoping that nothing would be able to snatch her new friend away from her whiles she slept.

The woman's breathing started to even out, coming in far deeper hills and sighs. She started to close her eyes, complete exhaustion beginning to take it's inky hold over her sights, when she nuzzled closely to Wheatley for the last time, and then finally, slipped into a peaceful and calm sleep.

"...Hmm, her eyes are fluttering, I wonder if she's waking up soon... She has been asleep for quite some time," Wheatley whispered to himself, his own eye whirling as he determined what to do. "Perhaps I should knock her up. She probably doesn't really want to sleep much longer since she caught up on her beauty sleep to last her decades... I guess I should, though what if she doesn't want to be woken up? Well then, I shouldn't, I mean, unless I'm just over thinking things and she _does_ indeed want to be. Though, since she's asleep she probably doesn't want to do either. Most likely, she's just sleeping and will wake up on her own time..." He didn't realize that through his whole monologue he was progressively getting louder.

With slowly opening eyes, Chell was already turning her tired head toward where the familiar voice was coming from. The woman smiled as she came to, hearing that oh so nice rambling. In it's own way, hearing Wheatley's constant voice was almost comforting. Simply feeling the sound fill her eardrums was more than enough to always make her feel so calm, as if no matter how bad things were to get, it was going to be alright in the end. After a large yawn, mostly silent, the woman sat up with him still next to her. she stretched out her arms and let a feeling of relaxation fill her features, and then she turned her eyes down to stare happily at the little AI that she quickly pulled into her lap.

A flash of delight could be discerned from how his eye lids positioned themselves along with his optical refocusing a few times. Without the management rail for support, being out of her grip made him slightly severely trepidatious of _something_ happening. Anxiety was a right killer. "Oh, brilliant, you _did_ wake up on your own. Alright, now we're a _little_ off course now. Very slightly, by a lot... We're going to have to rework my plan to compensate. Shouldn't be too bad though. A little brain damage and brilliance can go a long way."

Chell continued to look down at the little AI, tilting her head slightly in question at what he supposed they were to do to get back into that little plan he had came up with. With a low grunt the woman stood on her feet, Wheatley still in her arms as she took a slow look around to get her bearings of where she was, the memories of the prior day flooding back into her head, replacing all the sense of sleep or drowsiness she had. Then, with a small smile, she quickly remembered something, and walked forward towards the robots hanging mechanical arm on the ceiling. With a happy grin, she lifted him and put the little orb back into place, hearing a nice 'CLICK' as he moved into place. There. At least he was eye-to-eye with her then. Mostly.

"Not that I don't like being in your arms, I actually do quite a lot, but it is rather smashing to be back on my management rail. Still getting over the shock I 'spose. Not to worry, I can still whip up a plan, and a good one too. Just gotta' think... What do you think of going with our original plan and just running? Don't fret, there will still be plenty of jumping," He said enthusiastically, already rolling down his rail. "Well come along then, follow me."

Chell was caught off-guard by his sudden speed, forgetting how quick the little bot could be when he needed to be. With quick steps, the woman followed after him, the portal gun firmly in hand as she continued at a slow jog to keep up with his zippy movements forwards. She smiled, feeling strength again back in her limbs from the sleep she finally managed to get, as if she was again filled with that same vigor as when she first awoken (minus the confusion, of course). Chell heard her boots clank loudly against the floor as she continued on, looking one way and another to keep an eye out for any turrets.

Once they were back on route, he spun around so he facing Chell, keeping up the rapid speed. "Alright, the next room were going through _might_,VeryLikely, have some hopefully vapid pools of acid to get around, shouldn't be a problem though with your gun and boots. I have the utmost faith you can make it through alive. Alive would be good, very helpful in getting out of here, y'know... Still alive," He explained. "There probably wont be too many portalable surfaces, but maybe a few. If we're lucky. Would you consider yourself lucky? It could be mildly convenient if you were, 'cause to be brutally honest, the next room is in horrid condition. Still has working lights, that's a good thing."

Seeing the door and he quickened slightly before stopping under the port that controlled it. Wheatley rose into the ceiling, soon followed by the door opening to reveal her next obstacle. It was obvious his optimism was misplaced, the room was a hell hole filled without any walkable floors to speak of and infested with mutated potato plants everywhere. Crossing the threshold, he looked around and stated," Yeah, this place is going to be hard for the bi-ped... Hmm, well you only have to figure out how to get up there." He looked up towards the door that was at the next floor's level. It had what looked like they used to be stairs extending less then three feet down, and that was all for getting to it. Going at a slow crawl up the slanted ceiling, he said," I'm sure you can figure _something_ out. I always did believe that brain damage is the new genius."

Chell took as many steps into the infested room as she could, already eying up any possible routes she could take to get through it like she had done for every other puzzle prior. Of course, the portal gun wouldn't have any significant help for where she was, considering that almost every inch of wall was covered by greenery. The woman could only stand there in familiar silence and think, pondering on any possible action that might prove useful. She was only there for a few minutes, until she nearly face-palmed herself and rolled her eyes, giving an expression that rivaled when somebody had just figured out that the answer was all too easy. Then with swift and practiced moments she jumped to the nearest wall, making sure she had her hand and foot-holds correctly as she started to climb-sidle across the wall, nearing the door slowly, but efficiently.

"Brilliant! I _knew_ you could do it, luv. Now you just have to climb _all the way over there_. Shouldn't be too hard. If you fall, you'll only burn slowly in the aci- Oh I shouldn't have mentioned that. It's rather disheartening. Um, yes, forget what I said, and just keep up what you're doing. Great job. I repeat, forget the whole burning painfully in the acid thing, I'm sure that humans being weak to Perchloric acid is just a myth, and um, don't start any fires. Yes, that would be _very_ bad..."

Chell smiled, feeling more and more ironically confident the more Wheatley just had to go on about the deadly horrors that awaited her with one slip of her hand or foot. It was odd, but that was how she did things. She took another few handholds, and then with a determined grunt, she easily climbed up onto the next wall, getting closer and closer to the door, which was another 10 feet at least above her head. She managed to get the rest of the way there with only two near slip-ups, but her grip was more than enough to keep her hanging, regardless of Wheatley's constant speaking about the horrors that could have befell on her.

"Oh, yes, the door. You might want that open. Um, I came completely prepared for this," he said, hurriedly accessing the controls of the door. "What? Denied? Wha- How can they deny me access? I know this place like the back of my, well I don't actually _have_ a hand, but you know the expression. Or at least probably did before brain damage. I can't get lost in this place, I know every corridor by hear- Well I don't actually have one of those either... but a metaphorical, figurative-y one counts. _Anyways_, I'm going to have to hack this egress. Will be very arduous, but I'll surely get it." Beeps could be heard every time he tried and got it wrong, which was many. One would have thought he would be locked out of the system by now.

With a mechanical sigh, he admitted," I've got bugger all. Sorry to keep you hanging. Ha ha, didn't mean it so literal, but 'spose it's true. Shouldn't be laughing, your arms are probably bleeding sore, er... This password's got me... Hmm, password. Didn't try _that_ word." As he was saying this, the door opened, an approving beep sounding. "Blow me! That's bloody ace! Though, I didn't expect the password to be _password_. It's like they were trying to keep an_ idiot _out."

Chell smiled as she climbed a few more grips upwards, finally reaching the very edge of the door. With a silent grunt, the woman hefted herself up towards the metallic door, taking a few slow minutes to pull herself up to her slightly unsteady feet. Chell grinned once more before taking a few steps forwards, then after regaining her balance the woman took off like a shot, her eyes already staring ahead and feet pounding against the hard floor, ready for the next puzzle to test her thoughts.

Wheatley rushed to catch up to and stay in front of Chell, excitedly rambling," Did you _see_ how brilliant I was? That door never stood a chance! It only took me... a modest amount of time, and it was open. Presto! Alakazam, open sesame! And _you_, you scaled that wall like it was nothing. We are a perfect team!" They were racing through narrow passage, heading towards the next room they had to pass through for his planned route. Only four more until-... Until... _her_.

He visibly shook, but quickly dispelled _her_ from his mind, much more preferring to think about the upcoming challenge. "Alright, I so got this door!" He said as they came to the end of the hallway. "I got it, it's going down! Just-" The door, sensing their presence, made a quite whirring sound as it parted for them. "Oh, It's, um... It's open. Was expecting for it to be locked... Well, right along then, I suppose..."

Chell continued on her determined path, legs moving as fast as she could push them, keeping her eyes however on Wheatly, ready to turn down any hall that he directed her towards. Then, she smiled as he 'opened' the door for her, and she shot through, ready mentally and physically to finish it as fast as she started. In some ways, this was what she was made for, her mind trained day in and day out to solve puzzles in that manner, her body been sculpted to handle anything that was thrown at her; physically or figuratively.

"Oh, well this looks easy," He commented as they entered a near completely empty white room with just a pit separating them from the other door. Besides the lights being out, the room remained largely in tact despite the long time since use. A red button had a weighted cube already sitting on it, opening an orange portal to their left. Rolling across the rail to the other side, he called back," I'll just wait for you here, all right?"

Thinking about it for a second more, he realized he could probably boot up lights. Wheatley lit up (pun intended) as he decided to do just that, accessing the mainframe and scanning his available options. 'Turn on lights' one read in binary. "Well that's convenient." Selecting it and ejecting from the control room, he was confused when the lights turned on along with the walls raising to reveal eight turrets on each side barraging the room with 'Hello's. "Cor blimey! I thought that just said 'Turn on lights'!" With a (slightly girlish) shriek as a red light landed on him, he retreated to the small room.

Chell's eyes widened in shock, her body already instincually moving while her brain was still trying to capture all the thoughts moving on overdrive when eyes caught sight of the familiar white egg-like form. Her legs pounded against the cold white floor loudly, boots clanging almost as hard as her heart was beating. Just before jumping through, Chell launched a blue portal as close to the door as she possibly could, jumping through at the absolute last second before she heard the parade of bouncing bullets behind her. When her body emerged from the portal, Chell had to reorientate herself. Up seemed like down and left had become right when she pulled her body from the glowing portal, moving swift to get to the door before the turrets realized where her current position was.

Opening the door of the control room cautiously, he peered into the the room filled with ricocheting bullets. "Ch-Chell! Oh good god, what have I don- Where's the body? M-maybe she's not... U-unless she tried to jump the pit and fell to her untimely doom as they gunned her down..." His optic dimmed and unfocused as he determined her dead.

"No hard feelings." and "Are you still there?" sounded in magnitude before a unified," Searching.**" **

Wheatley sighed and made a sound similar to a sob as he muttered," She's dead and it's all my fault. I- I didn't mean to, I could never kill her... But I did, and now they're after me..."

Chell continued to sit at the opened doorway, out of range for any of the turrets to locate, she staring down at Wheatly with increasing interest, a single eyebrow raised in amusing curiosity. With a firm movement the woman banged her foot against the ground, letting out a loud sharp sound to attract his attention to her still living form. Then with a silent laugh, she raised up her free hand, waving it to and fro so he'd better notice her, having already completed the challenging room.

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" He shouted joyously, drawing a lot of attention to him. Luckily he was still out of their sight, and they only extended a brief cursory search for him. "You don't know _how_ _incredibly happy_ I am to know that. I thought for sure they'd offed you. Not that I doubted you for a bit, of course. I knew you could out run 'em and out think 'em, even with a little brain 're brilliant! A simply tremendous jo- I should probably get to safety before I continue..."

Looking left and right and left again, he took off as fast as he could from his small safe spot through no-man's-land and to Chell's side. Oh, it's so good to know you're alright. You wouldn't believe how similar 'Turn on lights' and 'Enable Turrets' are in binary. I mean even if they have a different amount a letters and so are off by eight characters from each other... and my whole system is written in binary... It's just a load of 0's and 1's or 1's and 0's. Practically identical... enough..."

Chell smiled and rolled her eyes, looking in Wheatly's direction in a soft, whimsical expression. Slowly as she stood, the woman turned her head down the hallway, as if listening intently on something. Then like wind she took off, legs working like a well-oiled machine that came fresh from the factory, carrying her down through the facility as if she owned the place. Understanding that the little bot would surely follow and catch up to her, Chell barely spared a backwards glance, instead keeping her mind on the upcoming challenge ahead. Surely they were soon to face _her,_ of all beings. Though this time, Chell was more than ready for her second encounter with the woman of her nightmares, ready to come face-to-optic again.

The next room took quite a hike to get to. They had to run through what could be considered a rat maze just to get to it. On their way, Wheatley stopped to look at a painting. "Hey Chell, stop a minute and look at this." The core examined the picture curiously. It depicted a woman, one he had seen many times, with half her body being cybernetic, and two featureless people by her screaming as she cried sorrowfully. "The secretary... Hmm... Wonder why the person drew that. As far as _I_ knew, they never gave Caroline cybernetics. Then again, I didn't see her for over a year before she left." He glanced further down the the wall, an orange streak running from the previous scene. The orange streak was following a white one, a cube adorned with a heart in between them.

Chell had to slow her incredible steps, slowly coming to a halt for a moment beside Wheatley, her eyes slowly becoming entranced by said painting he was looking at. After giving a look of curious disbelief, never having seen something quite like it before, the woman stepped closer. With a gazing stare, Chell tilted her head. _What in the world is this...?_ She thought to herself, her hand slowly raising in the air to trace the outlining frame. For a few moments more she continued to stare at it, only barely registering that Wheatley was still beside her, they having only three more rooms to complete. But for some reason, the trancing stare of the woman in the painting almost seemed to lock Chell into some sort of net, eyes as if holding her firmly on the spot.

"Odd, don't you think? But it almost seems relevant some how. Like it's holding more meaning then what we're seein- well I'm seeing... You couldn't really _tell_ me what you're seeing I suppose- n-not that I have anything against brain damage. It's a wonderful neurological condition, my best friend happens to have... Wait, why am I telling _you_ this? Your brain damage doesn't seem _that_ severe that I'd have to remind you who your friends are. I mean, if it is, I am totally ready to deal with it, I can give you hourly updates," He said, then took a second to actually pay attention to said 'best friend', seeing she was spacing out. "Chell, are you alright? I was mostly joking about the hourly updates."

Chell was lost in sight for only a few seconds more before she seemed to snap out of her trance, quickly turning her head to stare at the little AI. She quickly nodded, taking a few unsure steps from the picture as she began to put space between her and it. There was simply something about that picture that almost creeped her out, gave the young woman a strange feeling of anxiety. She hadn't a clue why though. Then with a mental shrug at her own apprehension, Chell began to walk away, her pacing growing larger as she gained speed.

"Alright, and we're off! So, what do you think the next room will hold? Hopefully no more turrets. Those adorable little voices before they shoot you to death is right bloody eerie. Maybe it will have spikes! Spikes are cool, though I suppose not for the tester, umm... I guess we're hoping for something simple and less deadlier. Like pillows. Pillows are soft and fluffy and filled with joy, not that I've ever actually experienced one. But I've read about it."

Her walk gaining more motion, Chell rolled her eyes. A thin smile began to find it's way onto her features as she sighed, looking behind her to see that the bot was following her at a nice, leisurely pace. They weren't in a rush really. After all, they weren't timed, and they actually had all the time in the world to get to the next room. Or until Chell starved. Though, that really wasn't a thought that the woman cared to dwell on much.

"Perhaps it will have smash plates- ooh those are scary... I hope it just has a nice open, clear path with nothing at all happening. That'd be ace, don't you think?" He continued to ramble about what might be in the next room, only realizing they were at the next room when he ran straight into it the door of it, having been busy looking down at Chell. "Wha- Wha- _Oww_... This whole manual door thing is bollocks!" Wheatley complained as he opened it and then proceeded to stare amazed at the next room.

Chell again silently rolled her eyes, slowly walking into the room to see what was in store for her. The room, was anything but small. One of the largest rooms she seemed to have to go through, Chell took a few seconds to herself just to let it all in. The room was large, big, blank, but complicated in it's own way. The center of the room contained a bright red button, just beckoning to have someone push it, though no cube was in sight. The door was at least a few paces away from the button, tantalizing Chell's brain already, as she knew she couldn't simply stand on the button and just run for the door before it would close. There was something much more to this puzzle.

Rolling passed her he enthusiastically cheered," Wow, this _is_ nice and simple! Brilliant! I wonder why it's so huge if it's just a lousy- Bloody hell!" He stared straight down at a pit with spikes waiting maliciously at the bottom. Backing up slightly, he commented," You can't tell it's leveled until _after_ you pass it. What a cool design, so long as you're not walking of course. Even if you didn't fall to your surely-inescapable-immediate doom, a human would sprain an ankle or some kinda' ailment."

Chell sighed, taking a few tentative steps closer to the spike pit waiting evilly below her, sheaning silver flaring dark and possibly bloody memories of past participants in her eyes. What an odd sort of illusion. One could easily walk right into the room with lowered defenses and guard, and then they would suddenly find themselves falling to their death. Very interesting. Chell lowered herself to one knee, eyes peering out and around to search the room from a different angle for more traps, knowing very well from experience that, where there is one, there will most always be another.

"I'll just go on ahead, scout, see what I can see. Well that looks weir- Oh, that can't be good." He heard a loud clanking sound. Looking back, he saw the wall right above the door open and let a spiked rod fall through. He had set off a motion sensor... oops... "R-run Chell! Run for your life," He said, that sounded like good advice. It tumbled towards them at a slightly faster then walking speed.

Chell stared at the spike, then at Wheatly, her legs hesitating even after he had screamed at her. For a few seconds her mind seemed to freeze, wondering if running was indeed the best interest in her well-being, considering that the room they were in was like a funhouse of death. Then, deciding that she'd at least rather have a chance than being impaled, the woman took off, feet clanging onto the ground as she sprinted in the other direction. She soon reached the edge of the pit and gave the next action no other thought. She not even being sure if she would make it, Chell jumped for dear life over the edge, launching herself towards the edge of the other side, and only barely making it, arms now clenching on the drop-off point, pulling herself up slowly.

He watched her hoist herself up and keep running, good thing too since the the rolling spike wasn't fazed by a small drop and was hot on her heels. "W-wait Chell, _jump_!" He cried out right before she was going to fall into a second hidden pit. "It's a good thing that you like jumping," He cheered as she made it passed the obstacle.

Listening to Wheatley with a well honed proficiency, Chell did so, her legs pushing herself off the ground with tenacious strength, launching herself over the what one would see as deathly obstacle. Within seconds she was again on the ground, running fast in the direction that the door out of the room lay. The red button still sat on the ground, untouched, which continued to confound Chell's mind. But, instead of wasting away her brain thinking of it at the moment, she pushed the thought away and continued to flee. Then, suddenly, her legs gave way underneath her, pulled out as she tripped over a hidden low platform that was on the ground, easily unseen.

"Ooh, that looked like it _hurt_. Um, sorry, that probably was not very helpful. Er, You can do it Chell! C'mon that rolling spikey thing won't crush you to death. It can't weigh over a few tons! Yeah, that's more the spirit, yes, um... You're doing great! brain damage can't hold you back!" Wheatley surveyed the scene, trying to figure out how to help. He decided, after a brief memory of the last room where he tried to help paired with this room's motion sensor, that plain encouragement was his best course of action.

Chell's panic lasted only a few seconds, before her trained brain manage to kick in and tame it down to size, mind easily conquering fear for the time being (Though Wheatley's 'encouragement' was also helping to a good degree). Think logically, think fearlessly, think _survival._ Chell quickly pulled her form up on her feet again. The spike was just a few feet behind her, gaining fast, when she managed to get up and running again, making quick haste to get to the door, where surely it would be some sort of safe zone from the spike's horrid range of impaling.

The 'rolling spikey thing' abruptly stopped chasing the test subject as it rolled onto the button that opened the door. The slightly raised floor held it in place as they both exited the now open door. "That reminded me of this aweful conveyor belt that they were running a while, well a _very_ long time now, ago where they would put the test subject against the the direction of the belt and they'd have to out run it for as long as possible. Then they got shredded when they slipped and- Augh, absolutely terrible stuff. Point is though, good job getting through."

The woman rolled her eyes as she dusted herself off, feeling her heartbeat start to slow back to it's normal levels again. Well, that was another room down, and however many there was left to go, though Chell didn't really bother to remember. In her years of testing when she was younger, she found that time actually went by quicker when she didn't number any of them, didn't try to think how much longer she would have to endure exhaustion or hunger before she would be rewarded at the end of the day. So she decided to just simply continue to walk down the rusted hall-way, eyes keeping straight forward.

The hallway stretched on for a while at a steady incline, then for another while at a steady decline. There was nothing particularly interesting to look at on either side of the narrow corridor, leaving the AI mildly bored. "So, what do you want to talk abou- Hmm, didn't exactly think that one through... Uh, what I meant to say was- Ah, no, that wouldn't work either. Hmm, I'll just start talking, and you nod and stuff. There, a proper conversation isn't too hard to start up," Wheatley said, nodding to himself at a job well done. "You definitely need a nickname. You're like-... Wonderwoman! or wait no, no, I got something better. The Determinater~! Y'know, 'cause you're really... determined... and... ah, I'll think of something else..."

For a few seconds Chell simply tried to just go along with the other's plan, nodding here and there just to make him happy, at least, until he got to what he thought were good 'nicknames'. Chell was fairly okay with 'Wonderwoman' but simply had to turn her eyes to stare at him with a raised eyebrow when he came up with some others. Sure, they sounded okay and all, but to Chell they simply sounded, eh, cheesy of sorts. She wasn't really one for nicknames to begin with, much more happy to stick with her own name, but Chell knew that the AI found some sort of entertainment with his talking, so she sighed, shrugged, and simply let him continue as they moved down the long hall.

"Okay, okay, forget the nicknames, that's obviously going nowher- Ooh, wait! Wait! Aaaand~ Got nothing... Never mind... What about Superwoman? I feel like I've heard that one before... Hmm... Ah well. I wish this corridor wasn't so awfully long. It's like a bloody endless road to nowhere. Well, it is to somewhere, it leads directly to the next room. How ever far away _that_ is," He complained, turning back to Chell to take in her response, which was relatively deadpan.

Chell blinked and stared back, her expression blank and serious as she wondered how long a person could just continue on about a single subject. Then again, it was Wheatley, and he certainly wasn't like other people in any form or way. That was one of the things Chell both adored and hated about the bot; he was so different in his own special way. That sometimes proved a very nice thing, yet a most horrid thing other times. After a few seconds of staring, Chell again shrugged, a soft smile barely visible on her features as she continued walking, still having no sight of the end of that ultra-long hallway.

"_Finally_," Wheatley groaned as they approached the door. "Alright, stand back, I need to hack this door. Will definitely get dangerously complex." In truth, it did look mildly dangerous. Sparks were flying from the door, and a few loose wires dangled from the ceiling, but Wheatley rolled on up like nothing was out of the ordinary. Accessing the controls, he commented," Huh, that seems off... ...!"

His lax words morphed into hair-raising screams of pain as a high voltage currents coursed through him, something very off about the mechanical system he plugged himself into. "Ch-Chell! H-help me! Augh- Ahh! Ch- Che-... L-lady-lady help me... human, please...! How d-d-d-did I get all the way... Human-n-n-n, please... Ge-g-g-g-g-get all the way h-h-h-h-here-re-re-re...?" His blue optic dimmed before turning completely off, the small sphere disconnecting and dropping from the controls. His mechanical rail arm stopping him from dropping to the ground, he hung limply.

Chell gasped and quickly stood beside her friend, hands raised in attempt of any way she could help him, though she was sure there was little she could really do. When it came to computers and the like, Chell wasn't particularly knowledgeable, regardless that she had been surrounded by them since she was a little girl. She couldn't hack into one, but she knew how to take it apart in fiery destruction. That counted a little, at least.

She bit on her bottom lip as she continued to look at her friend, worried and scared for him after such a painful-looking display of sparks and sounding screams. She blinked slowly, walking closer in silent pleading that Wheatley was alright, praying that his silence was due only to a temporary shutdown.

Wheatley hung there for a good three minutes until anything in particular happened. A small string of beeps sounded as his eye began lighting up again. With a much more mechanized voice than before, he said," Woooah, was _that_ a crazy feeling. It feels like i completely shorted- Oh, you're the human I saved! H-have we gotten this far already...?" he looked around, his eye unfocusing and refocusing, trying to take in everything around him. His voice slowly smoothed as he started up talking again," Th-that's odd... I don't remember you having got... U-um, whatever... I'm sure that we just..." He trailed off confused. Wheatley shook his head and hand waved it (sans the hand of course) with," My systems are reading fine... I'm sure..." His voice faded as he decided to keep his rather alarming memory lapse to himself.

Chell blinked, then stared, then blinked again at the small bot in front of her. He didn't...remember? Looking up at the hanging wires with a blank, but hintingly worried expression, Chell wondered what the power surge did to Wheatley. Memory loss? That was the only logical thing she could come up with, seeing how incredibly confused the other seemed to be by the simple fact that she had the portal gun, and she had it for at least a week. He had lost that much of his memory? Chell couldn't place why, but she felt so...sad. Unsure why such a feeling was resounding so strongly within her, Chell sighed, staring down slowly to the portal gun in question, then nodded towards the door, questioning about it.

"What- Oh the door... O-of course. I was about to open that, wasn't I?" Wheatley guessed with a nervous laugh. Being completely honest, it was almost scary how far along they were when the last he remembered was... The last he remembered was... She had fell, right? They were trying to get the gun, and she fell, and they were going to meet up in an hour or so...? Wheatley decided it didn't matter and located the controls for the door. "I'll just access the controls and- with lots of genius- open this door like it was nothing..." He halted at the sparking control center. "Well that doesn't exactly spark confidence... Get it? _Spark confiden_- eh, never mind... Hooking up now."

Chell would have rolled her eyes at his absurd and cheesy joke, but was instead too worried for him to bother. He definitely seemed alright in the sense that he wasn't dead, but yet...there was something that had changed drastically about the little bot, something that caused Chell to wonder how much damage that electric current had done to him. She waited for a few moments more before the door opened, revealing to them the final room she had left to face.

"I knew I cou-c-c-c-could do it-t! Diseng-g-gage-g-g-g-g-g-ging..." Wheatley powered down in much the same way as he had just a few minutes ago. Rebooting in just under a minute, Wheatley looked around again, utterly confused with where he was. "Oh, human, umm, how did was get here s-s-s-s-so fast?" He asked as he spotted a familiar, albeit only slightly, face. "Never mind. Forget what I said, I mean the point is we got here r-r-r-right?" Wheatley nodded to himself, though commented," Something feels awfully weird in my circuits. It's like- ah I can't really explain it. Let's just continue our adventure, I can ponder it later."


End file.
